Obedience and Outcome – Part I
Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the
faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep
his commandments to a thousand generations."
Can I talk to you a moment about that thing God told you to do? You know what
I am talking about? The thing that makes sense to noone else—-no matter how
you try to explain it? That seemingly impossible task that God told you to do
— that’s what I want to talk to you about for a moment.
Now, why is it that no one understands it but you? Simply because God told
it to you. If He had told it to your neighbor, then your neighbor would have
understood it. But He did not. It is your word, your promise, your hope, your
vision, and that’s why you "got it" and no one else did.
From our text, we are told to know that the Lord our God is God. In other words,
there is no one higher, more powerful, or more knowledgeable than He. Also,
we are told from the text that He is the faithful God that keepeth (continually
keeps) covenant with them that love Him and keep His commandments. In other
words, He never breaks His promises. Whatever He says He is going to do He does.
So where does the problems reside? We have a God who is God and who has all
power, dominion, and might. He can truly guarantee any outcome that He proclaims
will take place.
Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of
man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he
spoken, and shall he not make it good?"
So again, where does the problem reside? In our obedience! All we have to do
is what He told us to do. That’s it! Just do what He told you to do. Why?
Because by doing so, we enter into covenant with Him. Therefore, He is obligated
to keep His end of the agreement.
I recently heard a pastor of one of the largest churches in America speak on
His covenant with God. During his sermon, he began to talk about the electric
bill in his church, which easily surpasses the budget of many churches. He then
stated that one day, he decided to stop worrying about the bill. Instead, He
simply went to God and said, "We had a deal." He did not use an elaborate
prayer, nor did he gather the elders of the church to pour oil on the electric
bills. All he did was remember, "If God told me to do it, then we have
a deal. It’s up to Him to keep the lights on. All I have to do is what
He told me to do."
What I like about this pastor’s testimony is that He was simply believing
God’s word —-and still is even to this day. Years ago, when God told
Him to build that building with the astronomical electric bill, he did. If that
pastor would not have obeyed God and then trusted God’s word, he truly
would not be where he is today.
A few months ago, God shared with me this statement that I have shared with
you before: "Obedience is up to you —- Outcome is up to me." God
may have told you to apply for that job, start that business, or pursue that
dream. If He did, then remember that you are only responsible for the obedience.
Do whatever He told you to do, and He will be responsible for the outcome. You
are on your way to a destiny greater than you can imagine. Don’t let disobedience
delay or detour you from your final outcome.